- The problem
- Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on july 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
Vehicle safety record
2004 Ford Explorer Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 1,408 complaints about the 2004 Ford Explorer with NHTSA, most often about the transmission & drivetrain (477) and the body, doors & structure (459). Those complaints describe 75 crashes, 16 fires and 105 injuries. It is covered by 4 recalls, the latest in May 2009 for the headlights. For comparison, the 2003 has 1,313 and the 2005 has 0.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical Explorer year, for its age
#5 most complained-about 2004 vehicle
- Complaints
- 1,408
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes
- 75
- Fires
- 16
- Injuries
- 105
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2004 Ford Explorer problems
Share of all 1,408 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2004 Ford Explorer recalls 4
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Certain curved tempered replacement glass manufactured by hangzhou safety glass ltd and supplied to safelite by auto temp inc., Identified as dot-430, and sold for use on certain domestic and foreign vehicles may not break into small pieces as expected of tempered glass and fails to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 205, "Glazing materials."
- The risk
- In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant(s) may be seriously injured by shattered glass.
- The fix
- Safelite will notify its retail customers and replace the glass free of charge. Retail customers can contact safelite toll free at 1-888-843-2906. Safelite will notify its wholesale customers and reimburse wholesale customers for current inventory and at a specified rate for replacing their customer's glass. Wholesale customers can contact safelite's wholesale division, service autoglass toll free at 1-888-246-6298. The recall began on january 15, 2008.
- The problem
- Certain ck motorsports combination headlights, clear corner, bumper, and side marker lights sold as replacement lamps for use on the passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
- The fix
- Ck motorsport will notify owners and replace the noncompliant lamps free of charge. The recall began on july 1, 2006. Owners may contact ck motorsport at 1-909-610-7211.
- The problem
- Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
- The fix
- Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. The recall began on april 3, 2006. Owners may contact pro-a motors at 323-838-2988.
What owners say
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1,408 complaints about the 2004 Ford Explorer
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 57.
All four side curtain airbags deployed while I was driving my car in a parking lot. There was no collision and no reason whatsoever for the airbags to deploy. The airbags in the dash did not deploy. The airbag hit me in the side of the head and shrapnel from the airbag, hit me in the face and eyes and knocked me sideways toward the passenger seat. I was completely stunned and had piercing pain throughout my head and neck. I was able to pull into a parking spot and call police dispatch, and get the car towed. The...
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car will be inspected tomorrow by the insurance company, but because there was no reason for the airbags to deploy, this could be a major problem! Imagine if I was driving on the freeway or in another situation and the airbags just deployed for no reason with no warning. Please take immediate action to get these unsafe airbags off the road. The car will be inspected by the insurance company in the morning and the service provider in the following days. If you would like those reports, I will be happy to send them to you.
on [[redacted]] brought to local shop on power steering leak. Week before, Paid $50 for inspection. on [[redacted]] appointment was line and replaced. But tech said get pass brake line was rotted and was bad leak of brake fluid. On [[redacted]] my wife's Explorer was reinspected and rear driver side brake copper line also reported rotted after paying $539.95 for power steering low pressure and brake line. Wife's Eddie Bauer 2004 v8 was reported to FORD Motor Co. Case# [[redacted]] defective copper brake lines on...
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suv. No good will offered no warrantee fue to latent defective brake line copper tubing coming from ABS modular. ABS LIGHT COMES ON AT TIMES. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I need a new gas tank for my vehicle and Ford stopped making the gas tank for my vehicle. That is a very big safety issue. I called Ford and they were helping to find one from junkyard's I don't want one from a junkyard that I have to repair. I asked for Ford to make a gas tank or pay for them to have mine fixed right at a Ford dealership, no help. That's a big safety problem. Ford provided the contacts phone number to the junkyards but the contact doesn't want the gas tank from a junkyard who probably put holes in them to drain the gasoline out of the tank.
Smoke for a good 5 mins under the hood oil leeking
Back windows fell off track and windows fell down, cannot roll them up. AC and Heater broke and won't work at all. Fuel system is too lean. Transmission is going out Timing Chain and tensioners making loud knocking noise. Burning oil.
The contact's son owned a 2004 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while her son was driving in the rain at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle hydroplaned as he rounded a corner. The vehicle slid into a ditch and hit a tree on the passenger side of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact's son and his friend were both transported to the hospital for their injuries. Her son was treated for soreness in various parts of his body and was released the same day. Her son's friend had to remain...
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in the hospital overnight and his injuries were unknown. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the independent collision center where it remained in their possession. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired or destroyed. The failure mileage was approximately 153,000.
On two incidents this week when steering wheel is cut to maximum left or right in tight parking lot and narrow road while making tight turns at legal speeds the engine (V8 4.6L) stalls. Brought to non-Ford mechanic for inspection(NYS ANNUAL) and passes but mechanic looked for a power steering pressure sending sensor or switch that is to give signal to EMC to increase idle to compensate for more power steer demands. Part is $35 at Partgeek but mechanics dont know where the harness the sending switch is located, if...
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one exists or is it in power steering pump. Call Ford NADA! Call two local Ford dealers. One says dont work on cars 15 years old, other says go to liabary to get diagrams, Ford says obsolete parts in 10 years.Bummer! Husband ordered 8/10/20 New 2021 Bronco. Pushed into 2022 due to supply chain. Found out Bronco built at MAP same as Ranger, will not get stronger 10r80 transmission,but Explorer 10r60, 25% weaker ; and gets Explorer 2.3L EgoBoost non- Ranger improved 4×4 engine , although they say same transmission and improved engine as Ranger in ads. Ford Buit Tought? MY2022! PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ISDUE. NO BRAKING NOR STEERING WHEN SENSON IN POWER STEERING STALLS 4.6L ENGINE. Cannot apply gas and brake to keep from stalling when making sharp turns. I am 75 years old and with COPD. Serpertine belt replace before incidents.
on 5/6/21 at Ramp Ford 4869 Nesconset Hwy.,Pt. Jeff.Sts.,NY at 10:00am dealer sevice Mgr. met with NYSDMV Auto Facilities Inspector on a claim against Mavis Discount Tire,556 Route 25A, Mt Sinai,NY case 1Pi-01937 on a right rear wheel. Ramp removed R/R wheel to inspect with state inspector, appears like axle nut on r/r has not been removed r/0361772. On 7/12/21 Mt. Sina Tire r/0 7828-18 when fixing a tire flat, found r/r one broken stud,one addition lug nut missing from r/r wheel. Immediately Ramo service manager...
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denied his tech improperly reassembled r/r wheel nuts on all five wheel assembly studs. With three studs the Ford vehicle was in inimanent highway danger. Such lost of 40% of wheel nuts may have caused lost of life. Mt. Sinai tire replaced fourth missing nut, fixed flat and scheduled fifth wheel assembly stud. Ramp 's general manager was imformed of poor and dangerios service and stated he was not a mechanic! Reimbursement for 5/6/21 were denied by dealer! Dealers .denies any warantees of labor since customer signed their disclaimer. All repairs are provided by the dealer facility1520504 AS IS WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY OF GUARANTEE! This disclaimer was only signed by non-owner after inspector left dealer. Inspector has pictures and stated he did not see the reassembly of r/r brakes, calebre, wheel nuts after inspection was completed. This was a dangerious omission of not properly torquing nut to Ford Motor spec. FORD MOTOR denies any warantee of repairs by Ramp.
Michelin crossterrain tires suffering tread separation. Three out of four so far. Had I not been paying attention to this problem it would have happened on the highway..
Tires! Tires! Tires! Again! A second tire has suffered tread separation and failed completely. Why can't I get anyone to take this problem seriously?
Engine dies when driving with cruise control operating and heading down slight hill at speed of around 35 mph. Cruise is designed to maintain driving speed going down the hill (up or down hill for that matter). The tachometer indicates a slowing of engine rpm. At higher speeds, the slowing of rpm does not fall too low. However, at the slower speed around 35mph, the rpm drops below 500 rpm and the engine stalls. I lose power steering and breaks. I have a difficult time steering and breaking. This is a safety...
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problem on a curve or if a red light is ahead. I can't steer the car on the curve. I may not be able to stop the car at the traffic light and end up in an intersection and be hit by vehicles with a green light. I may hit a car in front of me that has stopped at a light or stop sign. I may not be able to stop for a pedestrian crossing at the intersection (with the light). I may not be able to avoid a child ... Who darts into the roadway. This is a problem for many owners of the 2004 explorer. There are many complaints about it on the web. It is a problem that has been noted for years. I complained about it to dealers several times. Dealers dismissed it as nothing can be found, replicated or just not a problem. It is time to recalll the vehicle to fix this safety problem. This is an ongoing problem. I try to avoid using cruise control control at the 35mph range. It seems ok at highway speeds. The last of many instances was in november 2020. The problem first happened when there about 30,000 miles on the car.
While driving home from work last week I noticed a slight 'bumping' feel like an unbalanced tire, so I took a look when I got to my driveway but found nothing. The next day on my way to work the "bumping' was much worse so I stopped to check and found a large bulge on the tread of the right front tire. After slowly returning home I removed it and set it aside. A few hours later the threads were separating badly so I let the air out before it blew apart. I ordered a replacement tire (different brand) but I've still...
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got three more of these on the vehicle .They have 36k miles on them and a 60k warranty with only modest thread wear but I still check them every day. I don't feel safe.*Dt consumer stated he still has a defective tire.*Jb
This past weekend I was driving an 04 ford explorer when both side airbags spontaneously deployed. I was not in an accident. I was driving down a two-lane road at less than 35 miles per hour when the airbags deployed. I was able to pull over but not before sustaining an injury to my ear and not before the passenger sustained an injury to her right arm. I reported this to ford, which advised to carry the vehicle to a dealership. Took it to the dealership, where the service manager was unconcerned with the fact...
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that the airbags spontaneously deployed. He looked at the vehicle for two days only to report he was not aware of why the airbags deployed and stated there was nothing he could do about it. I repeat, I was not in an accident and the airbags deployed while driving. This is of course quite concerning to me but ford does not seem to care. Please follow-up on the safety of ford's vehicles.
The body of my 2004 ford explorer sport trac xlt has rivets on the top of the roof that hold water. Instead of being a flat surface where rain can naturally fall off the top of the roof it sits in these rivets and accumulates rust. This leads to a lot more problems.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that the wheel studs detached on multiple tires while driving. The failure recurred three times on multiple wheels on different occasions. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken once to an independent mechanic where the studs were replaced; however, the failure continued. The contact also stated that she replaced multiple studs herself. The manufacturer and dealer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Seatbelt mechanism for driver side and passenger side is inoperable. It doesn't lock after you put your seatbelt on. The mechanism you put the seatbelt buckle in is good but after that the lock mechanism for the belt to retract isn't working properly. It doesn't matter if you are driving or parked.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer sport trac. The contact stated that the driver and front passenger seat belts failed to retract and lock in position. The contact called sanders ford (located at 1006 w corbrelt ave, swansboro, nc 28584, 910-326-1801) and was informed that the seat belts were no longer covered under warranty; therefore, the contact would be responsible for the diagnostic and repair cost. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000. The vin was invalid.
During normal use, usually when in motion but frequently when the vehicle is not in motion, the drivers seat suddenly flops backwards to the recline position. This has been an issue since the truck was about three years old. I took it to the dealer one time but they said they would have to keep the truck; that didnt work for me because I would have no transportation and I always have to go to work, then and now. I saw a recall on the 2010 for this and figured I would let you know it was for a lot longer than that....
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It might help explain some dead people in sport tracs. I certainly had some anxious moments at times in the 15 years with my truck..Ive tried to fix it several times with no real success, a new seat is expensive, used seats are going to do the same thing but since my seat has also collapsed I guess I need to replace it.
The vehicle was moving at a slow rate of speed (approx 5-10 mph) on a bumpy road. The driver was looking for a parking space. The side airbags deployed. The insurance company has determined that there was no collision or reason for the airbags to deploy and therefore they will not cover the damage.
My 2004 ford explorer has recently and quickly began shifting very badly. I always come to a complete stop and shift into neutral before shifting into reverse or drive because when shifting into reverse from p or d, it always takes a while, then clunks aggressively into place. While driving sometimes downshifting will also clunk into place. This issue has been reported by countless other drivers and has caused many potentially dangerous situations. From accelerating slowly then banging gears and taking off, to...
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stuttering while trying to accelerate, or even switching into reverse while parking, and having the car try to jump back a few inches is only a few issues this problem has caused myself and countless others. People are replacing transmissions left and right to no avail, only a few 10 thousand miles after installing new transmissions, their car starts to experience the same issues as before. At low speeds and in parking lots this becomes a game of luck as you accelerate more than necessary to try to get going, then stopping and waiting a few seconds while you shift to neutral before shifting to reverse as fear of it banging into gear as you try to maneuver your car around people and other parked cars becomes a more dangerous task than it should be. In sum, while stationary, slow speed, or just cruising, the transmission while shifting gears, or shifting into reverse/drive, sometimes wants to bang into gear or lose power, or delay shifting only to bang into gear moments later. Some issues when taking cars into repair is finding metal transmission shavings where they shouldnt be! Finally, the excessive banging can also damage the engine over time in addition to the transmission. Please reference the following link to get a better idea of the issues: https://www.Carcomplaints.Com/ford/explorer/2004/transmission/transmission_slipping_shifts_hard.Shtml thankyou
The ignition keys loses the program and I constantly have to have noth reprogramed. I was told this was a recall that ford knows about. The cause the car inability to start
Plastice parts are deteriorating, desolving in front inside drive sun visor-lighted visor broke off; centerl rear a/c and heat moon roof light console falls off-plastice clips desolved and will not fasten into roof assembly, causing blocked eyesight and at time on right turn hitting head or eyes . This is unsafe and ford motor knows of complainst. Part are not availble. This is a highway safety issue. The model was the eddie bauer top of the line $40,,835 car fmv $5000 only 54000 miles pri level code 450240u74 ship wgt 4357
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford expedition. The contact stated that the brake lamps, turn signals, and emergency flashers failed to operate properly. This was a distraction to the contact's driving because he could not notify other drivers of the vehicle's movements. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, but they did not have time to diagnose the vehicle. The contact called a ford customer service line, but they did not assist. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 264,000.
My steering column broke right off! Trying to put it in drive @99,735 mi. Had to tow it to shop, and replace the steering column. I see other people had this same problem. There should be a recall for this!!! I also had to replace the transmission @ 103,000 miles it would skip 3rd gear. Seems everyone else has to replace the transmission. Also back bearings!! What a disgrace. Recall this disgraceful workmanship! No honor!
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 ford explorer sport trac. While driving 40 mph in inclement weather and road conditions, there was a loss of traction and steering ability. The vehicle spun out of control, rolled over at least five times, and crashed into a ditch. The seat belt restrained the driver; however, the air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained extensive bruising on the right side of the body, which required medical attention. A police report was filed. Miller motor sales inc (1196 milwaukee ave,...
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burlington, wi 53105, (888) 449-0974) was notified. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a yard by the insurance company. The approximate failure mileage was 204,000.
Ford Explorer: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 0 | 3 | A |
| 2007 | 0 | 3 | A |
| 2006 | 0 | 4 | A |
| 2005 | 0 | 3 | A |
| 2004 | 1,408 | 4 | F |
| 2003 | 1,313 | 7 | F |
| 2002 | 3,613 | 10 | F |
| 2001 | 0 | 12 | B |
| 2000 | 0 | 15 | B |
2004 Ford Explorer vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Ford Explorer | 1,408 | 4 | F | |
| 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee | 1,295 | 14 | C | Compare |
| 2004 Dodge Durango | 1,115 | 9 | F | Compare |
| 2004 Toyota 4RUNNER | 678 | 2 | F | Compare |
| 2004 Nissan Murano | 678 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 2004 Hyundai Santa FE | 303 | 3 | C | Compare |
| 2004 Toyota Highlander | 286 | 5 | F | Compare |
| 2004 Kia Sorento | 220 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 2004 Subaru Outback | 90 | 11 | B | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2004 Ford Explorer
Does the 2004 Ford Explorer have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2004 Ford Explorer: headlights (May 2009); glass, side / rear (December 2007); exterior lighting (May 2006); exterior lighting (March 2006). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Ford Explorer?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the transmission & drivetrain (477), body, doors & structure (459), engine & cooling (122).
How many complaints has the 2004 Ford Explorer had?
1,408 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on January 30, 2004 and the latest on June 5, 2024. Of these, 75 describe a crash and 16 a fire, and together they report 105 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2004 Ford Explorer a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 1 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Ford Explorer year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Ford Explorer years have the most complaints?
2002 (3,613), 2016 (2,466), 2015 (1,821). See every Ford Explorer year compared.
What should I do if my 2004 Ford Explorer has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data